- The Kings locked up Brandt Clarke with a five-year, $37 million extension ($7.4M AAV)
- Clarke set career highs across the board in 2025-26, including 40 points and 185 blocked shots
- Read below for the full contract breakdown and what it means for LA’s blue line
The Los Angeles Kings wasted no time on Day 1 of the 2026 NHL Draft, locking up defenseman Brandt Clarke to a five-year contract extension worth $37 million ($7.4M AAV).
The team announced the deal from Buffalo on Thursday, just before the first-round picks began:
Clarke, 23, broke out last season in a big way. He played all 82 games and posted career highs in goals (8), assists (32), points (40), power-play points (13), blocked shots (185) and average ice time (19:48). His 40 points led all Kings defensemen and tied for fourth on the team overall.
Those 185 blocked shots ranked third among all NHL skaters.
The deal keeps Clarke under contract through the 2030-31 season, covering four remaining RFA years and one UFA year. PuckPedia broke down the structure:
LA selected Clarke with the eighth overall pick in the 2021 Draft. Since making his NHL debut in 2022, he has appeared in 185 games with 15 goals and 81 points.
Securing Clarke was a major priority for GM Rob Blake and new president of hockey operations Ken Holland. With Drew Doughty’s extension talks still ongoing and the club exploring free agency targets like Patrik Laine, Clarke’s deal gives the Kings a young, cost-controlled anchor on the back end for years to come.
Clarke will carry a $7.4 million cap hit starting in 2026-27, with a 10-team no-trade clause kicking in during the final season of the contract.
